Failure Of Reconstruction Research Paper

Reconstruction, despite the fact that southerners was not ready to reform. The Northerners just continued adopting bills like The Freedmen's Bureau, The Civil Rights Bill, The Fourteenth Amendment, and The Fifteenth Amendment which was vetoed by President Johnson, but overrode by Congress. This was a great success during Reconstruction because it provided freed slaves with many different opportunities. “The Freedmen's Bureau” extended the number of activities for former slaves, while “The Fourteenth Amendment” declared African Americans the rights of citizens. “The Fifteenth Amendment” took this to the next level by granting African- American males the right to vote.
Reconstruction Period was immediately after the end of the Civil War from

1865 through 1877. The south lost the war and most of its economic structure that was based on slave labor. Its people white and black suffered because of the radical change in social and economic revolution produce by the emancipation of four million slaves. In 1857, Supreme Court case known as The Dredd Scott Decision determined that Black Americans were not citizens. Which led to the development of the following three amendments. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendment were designed to create and establish political equality for all races. The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, legally freed all slaves held in rebellious states, but not within Union states like Maryland or Missouri. We all had the misconception that slavery was illegal in American after the Civil war that's far from the truth. Not everyone abide by this Emancipation Proclamation. This led to the Thirteenth Amendment being put into action.
The civil war destroyed most of the southern United States. Farmlands and plantations were burned down along with their crops. Many people have confederate money. By, the end of the civil war it was worthless. Local governments and businesses were in panic. The South needed to be rebuilt. The process of rebuilding the south was called Reconstruction. Reconstruction began in 1865 and lasted to 1877. Reconstruction designed was to help the South enter back into the Union again. Northern troops occupied much of the South during this period to ensure that laws were obeyed and to prevent upraising.
President Lincoln's plan for reconstruction started before the end of the civil war. He was motivated by a strong desire to strong united Republican Party in the south and to end the hatred build by the war. December 8, 1863, President Lincoln issued a Proclamation and of amnesty and reconstruction to areas that there affected by the civil war. Now, in this proclamation there were certain exceptions, to any legal voter that would swear oath to the Union and support the Constitution. This plan would be commonly known as the 10 percent plan. It allowed reinstatement of the southern states. Lincoln's decreed that would allow the reintegrated back into Union when that states had 10 percent of the voting allegiance to the United States. That state would also need to abide by the emancipation.
Then voters could then elect delegates as representatives for their state.

Since, Lincoln didn't really believe the South legally left the Union, his reconstruction plan was solely based on forgiveness and not punishment. After, the war many people wanted to punish the south for the war. Others wanted to let the nation heal. Again, the nation was spit over what to do with the South. Although the military actions had been put to an end. In many ways, reconstruction was still considered a war. Northerners felt this was an important struggle by whose that wanted to punish southerners who were desperately wanted to preserve their rights to their way of life in the

south.
In other words, the right to have and own slaves. Civil rights was a big problem to develop in the south because if involved giving rights to freed black slaves. Black civil rights were often overlooked many times in the developmental process of reconstruction. Once a group of radical republicans in the new congress took over reconstruction progress. Southerners treated black more harshly than ever before. The main goal of reconstruction was the secure rights for blacks and to reunite the country. One of President Lincoln famous was that he wanted to bring the nation back together “malice toward none; with charity for all”
Lincoln made a promise to southerners that he would protect to homes and property, but he would save their slaves. This was quickly supported by many of the Republican congress. The Republicans want to end the war in order to start the rebuilding process or reconstruction. The Ten – Percent Plan was looked at as a political ploy more than a Reconstruction plan. Lincoln's plan was to end the war quickly to keep from losing the public support. Lincoln would face his biggest fear in 1863. When large number of were demanding a truce and more peaceful resolution. Thus giving the South merciful way to surrender.
In congress, the Radical Republican help black people adjust to their new found freedom. The freedmen's bureau was started to help educate, employment, financial education and legal assistance. Freedmen's bureau helped black to build schools and start their own hospitals. Colleges were started like Fisk University and Howard University. Congress also passed the thirteen Amendment that abolished slavery. That amendment was ratified by 27 states in December 1865. President Lincoln didn't live to see that day. April 1865 after General Lee's surrender, President Lincoln was killed by John Wilkes Booth. He was an actor and supporter on the Confederacy.
After Lincoln's death Andrew Johnson would take over as President of the United States. Johnson's policies were similar to Lincoln's polices, but more conservative. President Johnson presented a very weak plan for reconstruction. His plan was full of flaws that allowed ex-confederates to rebuild the government to be later controlled by pro-slavery forces. Those were government officials that passed black codes to keep freed slaves dominated in that congressional reconstruction. In 1865, Congress reconvened to express their displeasure with President Johnson's plan.
Many of the Radical Republicans, fought to dismantle Johnson's plan.

Senators Sumner and Stevens called the black voting rights and the end of military occupation of the south. Congress passed by two bills by overriding President Johnson Veto of the civil Rights act. Civil Rights Act granted black people full citizenship. The act also extended the life of the freedmen's Bureau. President Johnson's attempt to Veto these two bills force some moderates to ally themselves with Radicals against his plan.
Congress wanted to protection plan create the fourteen amendment in 1865. The fourteen amendment declared all people born or naturalized in the US to be citizens. It went on to say were prohibited from denying citizen's equal rights. Dred Scott decision was overturned by Congress because it denied black people's citizenship. No one was surprised that Johnson opposed the amendment and every southern state opposed, but Tennessee. His left the Radicals without enough supporters to approve the amendment.
December 6, 1865, Thirteenth Amendment abolished Slavery in the United States and its territories. It reads as follows: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” With the exception that allow servitude punishment for crimes that allow prisoners to be used for inmate

labor.
Also in 1865, Reconstruction had several events that set off a big explosion developed by helping Black people as well poor whites. This transformation proved to be better for the country overall creating economic, class, educational, gender and human rights. The issue of economic played a major role during this period of rebuilding. Money will always cause problems and interferes with everything. Specially, when rich southern slaves and landowners that had their property seize and redistributed to freed slaves. Not all slaves owner would lose their slaves, but they would lose all their profits. Thaddeus Stevens was the man who proposed that plan to the new congress.
In 1866, the Radical Congress overwhelming won the congressional election. Radical republicans gained the necessary power in the Congress needed to push or passage of the fourteen amendment. This ensure that the south would as have removed their military forces from their occupation of the South. In March 1867, Congress passed Reconstruction act. Two bills were passed that limited the President Johnson authority. The tenure of office act was put in place prevent the removal of civil officers without senate approval. Next, Command of the Army Act prevented the President from issuing military order except through the Commanding general.
Reconstruction proved to be too much strain for many white southerners, so discrimination groups were started, such as “Ku Klux Klan” were created to try to keep freed slaves from enjoying they're new found rights. Another problem for freed slaves was the fact that many couldn't find work or even a place to live. There just wasn't any money for former slaves. Living conditions didn't improve and even may have been worsened. The government from the Union was in disorder. Many people had decided to allow the white southerners to govern themselves. Of course, this meant the South would remain being divided into two nations made up of the “Superior” and “Inferior” race. Without slaves working in the field's crops were not harvested for sale. Everyone was losing money, Slave owners and landowners were losing a lot of business. They were becoming financially unstable because no one was working their crops. Those events helped what was known as, the economical crash of the south. Southern Slave owners were in depression that put most of them in a situation that many lost everything they owned. Southerners had to rebuild and find a way to get their financial status back would prove to be not a smooth transition.
The Reconstruction Acts initial period of Radical Reconstruction allowed an organized black community the opportunely to vote. Black people came out in large numbers to vote and held many different offices in the new government. It was proven to a remarkable, unprecedented effort to build a unified interracial democracy on the tail in of slavery. Most of the offices still remained on control be white republicans. Blacks were not received well in the political arena. Many of them were met with hostility from Reconstruction opponents. They quick spread rumors that black people were illiterate and unable to think for themselves. This proved to be nothing farther from the truth.
Both Black and White struggled to form a more democratic society in the South, but lacked the means to achieve their goals. Many of the freed slaves that have been restricted throughout their lives didn't understand they're new found situation. Didn't know where to go or what to do even though they were free people. A day of jubilation turned into a state of confusion for many. Many decided to stay on the plantation, other wandered off to find family members that were sold as slaves. While some slave owners were happy to get rid of the troublesome slaves and just threw them off of their land. Freed slaves migrated to cities like Charleston celebrating they're new found freedom. Whites saw this as outrageous behavior from their former slaves. Slaves